Michael Dunn Sentenced to Life without Parole

[Content Note: Murder; racism.]

Michael Dunn, the white man who killed unarmed black teenager Jordan Davis, has been sentenced to life without parole.

Michael Dunn, 47, was convicted of killing Jordan Davis, 17, in November 2012 after he shot into a SUV of four teenagers 10 times when an argument broke out over loud music coming from the teens' vehicle. Dunn was sentenced to an additional 90 years in prison for three attempted murder convictions and another 15 years for firing into an occupied vehicle. "Our justice system works. This case demonstrates that our justice system does work," said Judge Russell Healey at the sentencing.

The justice system worked, as much as it ever works.

But I want to quote Mychal Denzel Smith on what real justice looks like:

Justice for Renisha would have looked like Michael Brown being able to attend college. Justice for Trayvon would have looked like Renisha McBride getting the help she needed the night of her accident. Justice for Oscar Grant would have looked like Trayvon Martin making it home to finish watching the NBA All-Star game, Skittles and iced tea in tow. And so on, and so on. Justice should be the affirmation of our existence.

Black lives matter. That is not a statement which can exist in a void. Justice for Jordan Davis has to mean that no more young black men are killed because white people with guns rob them of their lives for no fucking reason but rank dehumanization.